Care bed and method of assembling same

ABSTRACT

A care bed includes a bedframe unit and a height-adjustment support unit. The bedframe unit includes a platform having a number of platform sections. At least one bedframe actuator is operable to drive at least one of the platform sections to lift up or lower down. A bedframe control unit controls operation of the at least one bedframe actuator. A bedframe power supply supplies power for operations of the bedframe control unit and the at least one bedframe actuator. The height-adjustable support unit includes at least one height adjustment driving device operable to control a height of the bedframe unit, and a height adjustment control unit to control operation of the height-adjustment driving device, the height adjustment control unit being separate from the bedframe control unit. The power for operations of the height adjustment driving device and the height adjustment control unit is supplied by the bedframe power supply

FIELD

The present invention relates to care beds and methods of assembling care beds.

BACKGROUND

Care beds usually include a bedframe and a support structure mounted under the bedframe to support the bedframe. Some support structures have the height adjustment function, and some others do not have the height adjustment function. When a customer buys a care bed, he or she gets either a care bed with height adjustment function or a care bed without the height adjustment function, depending upon what type of support structure is installed on the care bed. If a customer already having a care bed without the height adjustment function wants to have the height adjustment function, currently he or she will have to buy a new one with the height adjustment function.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, a care bed and a method of assembling a care bed are provided which allows a care bed to be upgraded to add the height adjustment function.

In one aspect, a care bed is provided which includes a bedframe unit and a height-adjustment support unit mounted to the bedframe unit. The bedframe unit includes a platform configured to support a load and comprising a plurality of platform sections. At least one bedframe actuator is operable to drive at least one of the plurality of platform sections to lift up or lower down. A bedframe control unit is configured to control operation of the at least one bedframe actuator. A bedframe power supply is configured to supply power needed for operations of the bedframe control unit and the at least one bedframe actuator. The height-adjustable support unit includes at least one height adjustment driving device operable to control a height of the bedframe unit, and a height adjustment control unit configured to control operation of the at least one height-adjustment driving device, the height adjustment control unit being separate from the bedframe control unit. The power needed for operations of the at least one height adjustment driving device and the height adjustment control unit is supplied by the bedframe power supply.

In one embodiment, the bedframe unit comprises a bedframe handset or remote controller for controlling operation of the at least one bedframe actuator, and the height-adjustment support unit comprises a height-adjustment handset or remote controller for controlling operation of the at least one height adjustment driving device, the bedframe handset or remote controller being separate from the handset or remote controller.

In one embodiment, the power supply is electrically connected to the bedframe control unit and the height adjustment control unit by a Y-cable.

In another aspect, a method of assembling a care bed is provided which includes:

providing a care bed comprising a platform configured to support a load and comprising a plurality of platform sections, a support bracket mounted below the platform, at least one bedframe actuator operable to drive at least one of the plurality of platform sections to lift up or lower down, a bedframe control unit configured to control operation of the at least one bedframe actuator, and a power supply configured to supply power needed for operation of the bedframe control unit and the at least one bedframe actuator;

mounting a height-adjustment support unit to the support bracket to support the platform, the height-adjustable support unit comprising at least one height adjustment driving device operable to adjust a height of the platform, and a height adjustment control unit configured to control operation of the at least one height-adjustment driving device; and

electrically connecting the height adjustment control unit to the bedframe power supply for supplying power from the bedframe power supply to the height adjustment control unit.

In one embodiment, the method further includes, before mounting the height-adjustment support unit to the support bracket, detaching a height non-adjustable support unit from the support bracket, wherein the height-adjustment support unit is mounted to the support bracket at fixing points where the height non-adjustable support unit was mounted to the support bracket.

In one embodiment, the height non-adjustable support unit comprises a plurality of legs mounted to an underside of the support bracket.

In one embodiment, the power supply is electrically connected to the bedframe control unit and the height adjustment control unit by a Y-cable.

In one embodiment, the care bed comprises a bedframe handset or remote controller for exclusively controlling operation of the bedframe unit, and the height-adjustment support unit comprises a height-adjustment handset or remote controller for exclusively controlling operation of the height adjustment support unit.

In summary, the present invention provides a way of upgrading a care bed to add the height adjustment function. This provides customers who buying care beds with a choice of first buying a care bed with fixed height and upgrading the care bed to add the height adjustment function later when needed. The bedframe unit can include the same mounting structures for mounting of the height non-adjustable support unit as well as the height-adjustable support unit. This makes the mechanical fixing between the bedframe unit and the height adjustment support unit easier during the replacing operations. The independent height adjustment support unit has its own control unit and/or handset/remote controller, which is advantageous in reducing the cost of the basic equipment (i.e. the bedframe) as well as improving customer experience. In addition, this allows for the use of one height adjustment support unit in combination with various different bedframe units. The independent height adjustment support unit uses the same power supply for the bedframe unit, thus reducing the cost of the height adjustment support unit as well as the upgraded care bed.

Other independent aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description, claims and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an independent height adjustment support unit according to one embodiment.

FIGS. 2-6 illustrate a care bed added with the independent height adjustment support unit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a control system of the care bed.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of a method of assembling the care bed.

FIG. 9 illustrates a care bed without height adjustment function.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Before any independent embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other independent embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof as used herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Use of “consisting of” and variations thereof as used herein is meant to encompass only the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof. Further, it is to be understood that such terms as “forward”, “rearward”, “left”, “right”, “upward” and “downward”, etc., are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms.

Referring first to FIG. 9, a care bed with a height non-adjustable support unit is shown. The care bed includes a bedframe unit 10 for supporting a user or patient, and the height non-adjustable support unit is mounted to the bedframe unit 10 to support the bedframe unit 10 at a fixed height. The non-adjustable support unit includes four legs 30 that are mounted to an underside of the bedframe unit 10. While the height non-adjustable support unit is illustrated in FIG. 9 as including multiple legs 30, it should be understood that the height non-adjustable support unit may be implemented as other types of support systems.

A height-adjustable care bed allows electrical height adjustment, making care easier for the caregiver. If customers would like to have a height adjustable care bed, conventionally they would have to buy a new one with the height adjustment function even they already had a height non-adjustable bed. The present invention provides a way of saving customer's investment by upgrading a height non-adjustable bed to a height-adjustable bed. This is done by replacing the original height non-adjustable support unit with a height adjustable support unit. This upgrading concept is discussed in greater below with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 8.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary height adjustable support unit 20 to be mounted to the bedframe unit 10 to replace the height non-adjustable support unit. FIG. 2 to FIG. 6 illustrates the care bed added with the height adjustment function after the height adjustable support unit 20 of FIG. 1 is mounted.

The height adjustable support unit 20 is an independent unit added to the original bedframe unit 10. The addition of the height adjustable support unit 20 does not affect the operation of the bedframe unit 10 as originally designed. That is, the construction and operation of the bedframe unit 10 remains unchanged after the care bed is updated.

The bedframe unit 10 can include multiple liftable parts that can be selectively lifted by at least one actuator to provide a more comfortable positioning to a user supported on the care bed. As shown, the bedframe unit 10 includes a platform 12 and a support bracket 14 positioned below the platform 12. The platform 12 includes multiple platform sections, such as, a middle section 16, and a backrest section 18 and a footrest section 22 located on opposite side of the middle section 16. The bedframe unit 10 may further include two bedframe actuators 24 for driving the backrest section 18 and footrest section 22 to lift up/lower down or fold/unfold. Operations of the bedframe actuators 24 are known in the art and explanation thereof is not repeated herein.

The independent height adjustment support unit 20 includes at least one height adjustment driving device 28 operable to lift the bedframe unit 10 up or lower it down. As shown in FIG. 1, the height adjustment support unit 20 includes two height adjustment actuators 28 as the height adjustment driving device 28. Operations of the two height adjustment actuators 28 cause the support unit 20 to fold or expand in a vertical direction, thereby lifting the bedframe unit 10 up or lowering it down. Such operations of the height adjustment actuators 28 are known in the art and explanation thereof is not repeated herein.

The height adjustment support unit 20 is mounted to the support bracket 14. Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 6 and FIG. 9, the support bracket 14 includes four mounting points 32 located at four corners of an underside of the support bracket 14. The legs 30 are mounted to the support bracket 14 at these mounting points 32. Corresponding to the four mounting points 32 on the support bracket 14, the height adjustment support unit 20 includes four mounting portions 34 at four corners of an upper side of the support unit 20. In this case, the height adjustment support unit 20 can be mounted to the bedframe unit 10 at the same mounting points 32 for the legs 30. In other words, the bedframe unit 10 can include the same mounting structures for mounting of the height non-adjustable support unit 30 as well as the height-adjustable support unit 20. This makes the mechanical fixing between the bedframe unit 10 and the height adjustment support unit 20 easier during the replacing operations.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a control system of the care bed. As shown, the bedframe unit 10 includes the bedframe actuators 24, a bedframe control unit 36, and a bedframe power supply 38. The bedframe control unit 36 is electrically connected to the bedframe actuators 24 to control operations of the bedframe actuators 24. The bedframe power supply 38 supplies power needed for operations of the bedframe control unit 36 and the bedframe actuators 24. The bedframe unit 10 may further include a bedframe handset or remote controller 39 in communication with the bedframe control unit 36 to exclusively control operations of bedframe unit, e.g. the bedframe actuators 24 to achieve lifting/lowering movement of one or more of the platform sections.

The height-adjustment support unit 20 includes the height adjustment actuators 28 and a height adjustment control unit 40. The height adjustment control unit 40 is electrically connected to the height adjustment actuators 28 to control lifting/lowering operations of the height adjustment actuators 28. In the illustrated embodiment, the height adjustment control unit 40 is separate from the bedframe control unit 36. The height adjustment support unit 20 may further include a height adjustment handset or remote controller 44 in communication with the height adjustment control unit 40 for exclusively controlling operations of the height adjustment control unit 40 itself, e.g. the height adjustment actuators 28 to achieve lifting/lowering (i.e. adjust height) of the bedframe unit 10.

The independent height adjustment support unit 20 has its own control unit and/or handset/remote controller 44, which is advantageous in reducing the cost of the basic equipment (i.e. the bedframe) as well as improving customer experience. With the control function for the height adjustment support unit 20 separated from the control function for the bedframe unit 10, the basic bedframe will have NO cost increase. If a solution which is usual for today is adopted, the control unit and the handset/remote controller for the basic bedframe would already carry the functionality of the height adjustment support unit 20. This causes higher cost and very often unhappy customers, as they see buttons on the remote controller without function as long as the height adjustment support unit isn't installed. In addition, with the control function for the height adjustment support unit 20 separated from the control function for the bedframe unit 10, the bedframe unit 10 and the height adjustment support unit 20 can be operated separately, which allows for the use of one height adjustment support unit 20 in combination with various different bedframe units 10.

Power needed for operations of the height adjustment actuators and the height adjustment control unit is supplied by the bedframe power supply. This is done by using a Y-cable 46 to electrically connect the bedframe power supply 38 to the bedframe control unit 36 and the height adjustment control unit 40. The independent height adjustment support unit 20 uses the same power supply 38 for the bedframe unit 10, thus reducing the cost of the height adjustment support unit 20 as well as the upgraded care bed.

The specific structures of the bedframe unit 10 and the independent height adjustment support unit 20 discussed herein are for illustration only and shall not be regarded as limiting. The platform of the bedframe unit 10 can have any construction. For example, the platform may be an upholstered platform bed or a slatted frame. The height adjustment support unit may have any construction. For example, the height adjustment support unit may be a scissor-type support. The care bed of this invention adopts a modular design in which the bedframe unit and the underside support unit can be independently and separately designed, constructed and controlled. Various combinations of the different types of bedframe unit and support unit are possible.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of a method of assembling a care bed. Using this method, a care bed without height adjustment function can be upgrade to include the height adjustment function. In this method, at step S910, a care bed is first provided. The care bed may be the same as the care bed shown in FIG. 9. The care bed includes a bedframe unit 10, and the bedframe unit 10 includes the platform 12 having a plurality of platform sections, at least one bedframe actuator 24 operable to drive at least one of the plurality of platform sections to lift up or lower down, a bedframe control unit 36 configured to control operation of the at least one bedframe actuator 24, and a bedframe power supply 38 configured to supply power needed for operation of the bedframe control unit 36 and the at least one bedframe actuator 24. The care bed provided at step S910 may also include a height non-adjustable support unit mounted to the bedframe unit 10 at fixing points 32. The height non-adjustable support unit may be implemented as legs 30.

At step S920, the height non-adjustable support unit is detached from the bedframe unit 10. In this embodiment, the height non-adjustable support unit include the legs 30.

At step S930, a height-adjustment support unit is mounted to the bedframe unit 10, specifically to the support bracket 14 to support the platform 12. In one embodiment, the height-adjustment support unit includes at least one height adjustment driving device 28 and the height adjustment control unit for controlling lifting/lowering operations of the at least one height-adjustment driving device 28.

In some embodiments, the height adjustment support unit includes mounting portions 34 that are mounted to the bedframe unit 10 at the same fixing points 32 of the support bracket 14 to which the height non-adjustable support unit was mounted.

At step S940, the height adjustment control unit 40 is electrically connected to the bedframe power supply 38 for supplying power from the bedframe power supply 40 to the height adjustment control unit 38. The care bed is thus upgraded to add the height adjustment function. In the upgraded care bed, the bedframe power supply 40 provides power for powering all electrical devices (e.g. bedframe control unit 36, bedframe actuators 24, height adjustment control unit 40 and height adjustment actuators 28) of the care bed. In one embodiment, the Y-cable 46 is used to electrically connect the bedframe power supply 38 to the bedframe control unit 36 and the height adjustment control unit 44.

In summary, the present invention provides a way of upgrading a care bed to add the height adjustment function. This provides customers who buying care beds with a choice of first buying a care bed with fixed height and upgrading the care bed to add the height adjustment function later when needed. The bedframe unit can include the same mounting structures for mounting of the height non-adjustable support unit as well as the height-adjustable support unit. This makes the mechanical fixing between the bedframe unit and the height adjustment support unit easier during the replacing operations. The independent height adjustment support unit has its own control unit and/or handset/remote controller, which is advantageous in reducing the cost of the basic equipment (i.e. the bedframe) as well as improving customer experience. In addition, this allows for the use of one height adjustment support unit in combination with various different bedframe units. The independent height adjustment support unit uses the same power supply for the bedframe unit, thus reducing the cost of the height adjustment support unit as well as the upgraded care bed.

Although the invention is described with reference to one or more embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed structure without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A care bed comprising: a bedframe unit comprising: a platform configured to support a load and comprising a plurality of platform sections; at least one bedframe actuator operable to drive at least one of the plurality of platform sections to lift up or lower down; a bedframe control unit configured to control operation of the at least one bedframe actuator; and a power supply configured to supply power needed for operations of the bedframe control unit and the at least one bedframe actuator; and a height-adjustment support unit mounted to the bedframe unit, the height-adjustable support unit comprising: at least one height adjustment driving device operable to adjust a height of the bedframe; and a height adjustment control unit configured to control operation of the at least one height-adjustment driving device, the height adjustment control unit being separate from the bedframe control unit; wherein the power needed for operations of the at least one height adjustment driving device and the height adjustment control unit is supplied by the bedframe power supply.
 2. The care bed of claim 1, wherein the bedframe unit comprises a bedframe handset or remote controller for controlling operation of the at least one bedframe actuator, and the height-adjustment support unit comprises a height-adjustment handset or remote controller for controlling operation of the at least one height adjustment driving device, the bedframe handset or remote controller being separate from the handset or remote controller.
 3. The care bed of claim 1, wherein the power supply is electrically connected to the bedframe control unit and the height adjustment control unit by a Y-cable.
 4. A method of assembling a care bed, comprising: providing a care bed comprising a platform configured to support a load and comprising a plurality of platform sections, a support bracket mounted below the platform, at least one bedframe actuator operable to drive at least one of the plurality of platform sections to lift up or lower down, a bedframe control unit configured to control operation of the at least one bedframe actuator, and a power supply configured to supply power needed for operation of the bedframe control unit and the at least one bedframe actuator; mounting a height-adjustment support unit to the support bracket to support the platform, the height-adjustable support unit comprising at least one height adjustment driving device operable to adjust a height of the platform, and a height adjustment control unit configured to control operation of the at least one height-adjustment driving device; and electrically connecting the height adjustment control unit to the bedframe power supply for supplying power from the bedframe power supply to the height adjustment control unit.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, before mounting the height-adjustment support unit to the support bracket, detaching a height non-adjustable support unit from the support bracket, wherein the height-adjustment support unit is mounted to the support bracket at fixing points where the height non-adjustable support unit was mounted to the support bracket.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the height non-adjustable support unit comprises a plurality of legs mounted to an underside of the support bracket.
 7. The method of claim 4, wherein the power supply is electrically connected to the bedframe control unit and the height adjustment control unit by a Y-cable.
 8. The method of claim 4, wherein the care bed comprises a bedframe handset or remote controller for exclusively controlling operation of the bedframe unit, and the height-adjustment support unit comprises a height-adjustment handset or remote controller for exclusively controlling operation of the height adjustment support unit. 